Rugby fans flying high ahead of Wembley date for Leeds and Castleford

Rugby league fans were today preparing to fly in from right around the world for West Yorkshire’s Wembley takeover this weekend.

Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers supporters living as far afield as Australia are making special journeys to the Tetley’s Challenge Cup final this Saturday.

And over the next few days the Yorkshire Evening Post will be highlighting some of the fans who are going that extra mile for their clubs.

Diehards heading to Wembley include Ole-Petter Brendstuen, who will be setting out for London in the early hours of Friday from his home in Kvam, about 280 kilometres north of the Norwegian capital of Oslo.

Ole-Petter is a long-standing Leeds United fan but got bitten by the Rhinos bug when he took in one of their matches during a visit to West Yorkshire in 2009.

He will be travelling to the final with daughter, Hilde, 18, and son Audun, 15.

The trip will cost them as much as £2,000 – but 47-year-old sports club manager Ole-Petter says a Rhinos victory will be worth every penny.

He told the YEP: “It’s not going to be easy, as it is a local derby.

“I think we will end up winning, despite the defeat at the weekend [against London Broncos in Super League].

“The trip will be a lot of money but the good thing is that beer costs almost nothing in England – a pint here in Norway costs about £11!”

Ole-Petter visited Rhinos home ground Headingley Carnegie Stadium for a game in March.

Afterwards he met club chief executive Gary Hetherington and was awarded the title ‘Rhinos ambassador of Scandinavia’.

He also now writes a column dedicated to Rhinos in The Peacock News, the magazine of the Leeds United Supporters Club of Scandinavia.

*Are you travelling from overseas for the Wembley final? Will your family be split by divided rugby loyalties on Saturday afternoon? E-mail yep.newsdesk@ypn.co.uk or tweet us @LeedsNews.